Water Level Detection

with the waterra water level sensors

When groundwater investigators go to the field, one of the first things that they do is to remove the well cap from the well and then look down the well. Mostly what they see is black nothingness and even if they could see the water level, they still would not know the depth below grade of the water table.

suggested solution

Waterra makes a high quality water level detection instrument called the Waterra Water Level Sensor (WS series). It consists of a reel mounted graduated tape attached to a stainless steel probe. When the probe encounters water it triggers a light and a buzzer informing the user that the probe is in water. The depth of the probe below the top of the well can be quickly determined by reading the measurement on the graduated tape. Waterra Water Level Sensor tapes are available in metric or imperial graduations and in lengths of up to 300 feet (100 m).

procedure

The Water Level Sensor is carried to the well and the stainless steel probe is removed from its holder. The probe is then lowered down the well by feeding the tape off of the reel. When the water table is reached, the conductivity of the water completes the electrical circuit in the probe triggering a light and a buzzer in the reel. Typically one feeds the tape down the well until the water level is reached and then one zeros in on the exact level by making small adjustments to the depth of the probe. Once the top of the water table is found, the exact depth is obtained by recording the reading on the marker tape that corresponds to the top of the casing or other suitable reference mark.